Logic Or Emotion: Which One Will Kill Exercise Procrastination?

June 17, 2015|

There are a ton of different exercise routines available today. They all seem different in structure, but they all offer one thing – better health.

They also contribute to our level of happiness throughout the day. Research has shown that exercise releases chemicals in the brain that make you feel good – boosting your self-esteem, helping you concentrate, improving sleep, and improving self-confidence.

Since we were young, the importance of exercise has been drilled into our minds. Therefore, we have all created goals to exercise more. And while some of us have followed through with achieving these goals, most of us have failed.

One of the biggest obstacles to exercise success is procrastination. Procrastination is the enemy of our good intentions, and it will cause us to fail if we let it.

So Is It Logic Or Emotion That Helps Us Succeed?

According to research, there are 3 major steps to motivate yourself. And – surprise, emotions play the biggest part in these steps, which is something that a lot of us don’t consider.

We tend to believe that mental strength is what helps us stick to our exercise routine, but our emotions are the deciding factor in whether or not we will succeed or fail.

In other words, we can write down all the goals we want, tell ourselves how important exercise is, and then self-talk ourselves until we feel invincible like Superman, but in the end emotions always win over thought.

3 Ways To Use Emotion To Overcome Exercise Procrastination

1. Get Positive

Ever notice that your procrastination is always set at a higher level when you are in a bad mood? I’m willing to bet that you have. This is because happiness has been shown to increase productivity and success.

Positive thinking and optimism are two practices that contribute to happiness, so monitor your thoughts, think positive, and fight procrastination head on!

2. Get Rewarded

Treat yourself whenever you complete a task you had set out to do. Make sure it’s something that actually feels like a reward. What feels like a reward for me may not feel like a reward for you, so don’t let other people tell you what a reward actually looks like. The trick is to find something that makes you feel good and only allow yourself to have it when you finish a task.

Research shows that rewards are 75% of the reason why we do the things we do. In other words, the anticipation of a reward can help to fight procrastination.

3. Get Peer Pressured

We always worry about kids facing peer pressure, but peer pressure can actually be a good thing, especially when it comes to procrastination.

It can motivate you to keep pushing, even when you feel uncomfortable.

It can encourage you to finish exercising, even when you would rather give up.

It can remind you of the expectations you created for yourself.

So surround yourself with people who encourage you to push your boundaries, and let that pressure push you past procrastination and forward to success.

Saverio is on a journey to understand and conquer autoimmune disease. Follow his journey on his blog, MS Vanquisher or follow him on Twitter here.